Growth Rate of U.S. Giving for Health Care Falls More Than 50 Percent in 2007 But Rises Almost Threefold in Canada, According to Association for Healthcare Philanthropy's Annual 'Report ...( WASHINGTON Oct. 28 -- Perhaps si...),Health

WASHINGTON, Oct. 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Perhaps signaling donors' fears of a weakening U.S. economy last year, the growth of philanthropic giving for health care in the United States fell by more than half in 2007 from 2006, while the Canadian rate of growth in donations to health care nearly tripled, according to a new Report on Giving issued today by the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP).

"Hospitals and health care systems in both countries are relying more and more on philanthropy to fill in the gap that exists between the costs of providing high-quality care to patients and reimbursements from public, government and private sources," said William C. McGinly, Ph.D., CAE, president and CEO of the AHP.

Although grateful patients and other U.S. donors made $8.35 billion in charitable contributions to health care facilities and organizations in 2007, the 5.6 percent increase in the U.S. rate of giving was less than half the 11.5 percent increase in 2006, when donations totaled $7.9 billion, AHP's Report on Giving determined. Meanwhile, AHP said Canadian contributions were up 9 percent to $1.34 billion in 2007, compared to an increase of only 3.3 percent to $1.23 billion in 2006.

In the U.S., donations from individuals represented 61 percent of all contributions, about the same as 2006, while the portion contributed by U.S. businesses, including corporate foundations, fell to 18.1 percent in 2007 from 20.4 percent in 2006. Non-corporate foundations represented 13.2 percent of funds raised in 2007, up from 12 percent in 2006. Other U.S. giving sources, including hospital auxiliaries, public agencies, and civic groups, fell to 7.5 percent in 2007, compared to 8.1 percent in 2006.

In Canada, the AHP report showed individual givers in 2007 provided 60 percent of funds raised, up from 52 percent in 2006. Canadian businesses, including corporate foundations, supplied about 25 percent of the 2007 total, the same as the pr
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